Hope Blooms set to receive $6k for anti-racism work 

Hope is blossoming in Halifax’s North End as community-led organization Hope Blooms is set to receive a $6,000 grant from Halifax Regional Municipality to fund their anti-racism work. 

On Jan. 20, HRM’s grants committee met virtually to approve a grant that would support anti-Black racism efforts by local non-profits, including Hope Bloom’s plan for a festival celebrating African culture. 

Hope Blooms is a community greenhouse initiative that focuses on providing food and support to the entire community. 

Veronica Gutierrez, director of growth and sustainability at Hope Blooms, spoke on the phone to The Signal about the work the organization does to provide food to the North End. 

“It’s a food desert … so a lot of these families have five kids and they have to take their five kids on the bus to go to the supermarket,” said Gutierrez. 

The festival, planned for later this year, will feature African artists, food trucks and speakers. 

To combat food insecurity, Gutierrez said the festival should be accessible. 

“We would like to do everything for free, we want to have the food trucks give food to everyone in the community for free,” said Gutierrez. 

HRM’s website says Hope Blooms are being considered for the grant because their initiative “advances meaningful structural change” by “disrupting functional segregation in education, restoring cultural continuity and belonging, and reinvesting in youth…” 

The grant proposed for Hope Blooms comes from a pool of $100,000, an annual grants program that supports local community projects fighting racism. 

Another organization set to receive a $6,000 grant is BLM In This Together, a walking group that was founded by Mekisha Johnston. 

The group began with walks in Cherry Brook, with a focus on health, after Johnston’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. 

“We started a Black women’s group that was walking for breast cancer,” said Johnston on a video call with The Signal. 

“We did that for a few years, and that’s when George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter events happened within the world. Obviously our mission became much grander,” said Johnston. 

BLM In This Together has grown and now works across communities hosting runs, walks and galas. 

“We engage in dialogue together to unlearn and relearn, and just to be healthy together,” said Johnston.  

The organization was selected for a grant because it advances “HRM’s goals of fostering an inclusive, equitable, and resilient municipality,” according to the HRM website. 

The grants will be confirmed at the next council meeting. 

Gutierrez explained the long-lasting impact Hope Blooms has had on many children. 

“A lot of the kids started Hope Blooms when they were seven years old, and they are now my co-workers,” said Gutierrez. 

“They have such passion for it. They know how it impacted their own life. So they really want to do this for others,” said Gutierrez.